Wow, got another glut of reviews for that last one so thank you, everyone! Hope you like this.

CHAPTER TWO

Emma woke up in unfamiliar surroundings. Every other time she'd slept in the Mercer house, it had been in Sutton's room. This time, she woke up on the sofa, a quilt draped over her, the holdall containing the few belongings and items of clothing that were actually hers rather than borrowed from Sutton on the floor next to her makeshift bed. And she smiled. She had spent the night in the Mercer house. Not as a fake version of Sutton but as herself, Emma Becker.

"Well, look at you!" Emma turned at the voice and saw Laurel coming out of her room. The younger girl came over and perched on the arm of a chair near the sofa. "What are you doing here?"

Emma couldn't keep the delight out of her voice. "Kristin…invited me."

"She knows about you?"Laurel asked in amazement.

"Sutton told her."

Laurel raised an eyebrow and nodded approvingly. "Way to go, Sutton."

Kristin emerged from her own room and took in the scene. "Laurel. As you can see, we have a new house guest. I believe you already know each other."

Laurel felt suddenly guilty. "Mum, I'm sorry, I know I should have told you but there was so much else going on…"

"It's okay, I understand. Or at least, I accept some of the pressure you were under. Emma, what do you like for breakfast?" Emma looked down awkwardly and Kristin realised why. "Of course, yes. What you've had every other time you've stayed here. Well, I'll see what I can find for us." She headed off in the direction of the kitchen.

"Awkward,"Laurel remarked.

Emma sighed. "Guess that's how it's gonna be for a while."

At that moment, it was Sutton's turn to appear from the direction of her room. Emma and Laurel ran over to her and Emma grabbed her in a tight hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Sutton wriggled free from her grasp. "Okay, no reason to go overboard. I just figured Mum and Laurel already like you better than me, so if you're here I don't have to be nice to them."

Laurel hugged her in turn. "Sorry, sis, but we still like you."

As Laurel released her, Sutton looked at them both, smiling at her, and found she couldn't help smiling herself. "Okay, I can live with that."

Ted was surprised at the early morning knock on the door. He'd planned to drop by the cabin before breakfast and check on Emma, then he was supposed to be meeting Sutton and Laurel for lunch. Was one of his colleagues paying a visit? The answer was far more surprising when he opened the door to reveal his estranged wife. "Kristin! Come in. It's good to see you. Ah, can I get you anything?"

Kristin's expression suggested she wasn't there to exchange pleasantries. "I've just left your daughter at home. Your daughter Emma."

Ted froze, his mind realising just how much Kristin must have found out. Even though he was glad that Emma didn't have to be a secret any longer, he had been dreading the moment when the lie he'd lived for seventeen years was finally brought to life. "Honey, I swear I only just found out about her myself…"

Kristin scoffed. "Ted, the fact that Sutton left some girl in our house and neither of us noticed is the least important thing here. More important is the fact that you tricked me into raising yours and Rebecca's love child as my daughter."

Ted struggled to explain. "Kristin, you know what things were like back then. I didn't know we'd have Laurel. I thought Sutton was the only child I was ever going to have. I couldn't bear the thought of her growing up with some stranger, never seeing her. And I couldn't bear the thought of losing you. Convincing you to adopt her, not letting you know who she was, seemed the best option. Think of all those years with Sutton, all the happiness she's brought us. Would that have happened if you'd known who she was?"

"You think the happy ending makes it all right? The fact that I've spent the last seventeen years living a lie? I've got news for you, Ted, this is not a happy ending."

"But you know everything now. No more secrets, no more lies. We could have an honest marriage at last. We don't have to get divorced."

"Oh yes we do, Ted,"Kristin replied as she headed towards the door. "Now more than ever."

There hadn't been that many teen gatherings at the Whitehorses' trailer over the years. For a start, the few friends Ethan had had were the kind he didn't want Dan knowing about. So Dan was finding it surprisingly refreshing to be flipping meat on a barbeque while Sutton, Laurel, Mads, Jordan and Thayer milled around. Despite a few rough edges and unfortunate incidents in their pasts, he felt that they were all basically decent kids.

"Thanks for letting us do this!"Laurel called to him.

Dan shrugged. "Hey, well, it's Emma's official coming out party. Ethan was pretty keen on it." He made a quick visual check that all of the teens were drinking from soda cans. "But remember, anyone who touches the beer in the fridge gets arrested."

Sutton was sipping away at what seemed to be bottled water, having brought a straw along specially. "With the amount of calories in that stuff? Only if I lost the will to look good."

"Oh, is that why you never came round here? You were afraid my food would make you fat?"

"I've come round here,"Sutton protested. "It wasn't Emma every time. And in the spirit of solidarity and reconciliation, I'll even lower myself to having one of those…steaks."

Dan placed the biggest piece he could find on a plate and handed it to her. "Great to have you as a guest."

Mads, Jordan and Thayer were huddled in a group. "So what are you planning to do with yourself now you're a free man?"Thayer asked.

"I've got a few plans,"Jordan answered enigmatically. "I'll let you know when they're concrete."

"I think Rebecca was hoping you'd drop by and see her."

"That's not something I was planning to do."

"I'm glad she helped us get Jordan out and all,"Mads interjected,"but it's going to take a lot more than that to make me forget what she did to Dad."

"Hey, they're coming!"Laurel shouted, jumping up and down excitedly.

Ethan drew up on his motorbike, Emma riding pillion behind him. He pulled to a halt a few feet away from the group, helping Emma dismount and holding her hand as they both approached Dan. "Dan, I'd like you to meet Emma. Officially."

Emma held out her hand. "Hi. Thanks for having me over."

Dan nodded and accepted the hand briefly. "Well, I'm still not entirely sure what was you and what was Sutton but this one seems to like having you around so that's a good thing. Steak?"

Emma smiled. "Oh, please. And could I have one of those energy drinks?"

Dan looked between Emma and Sutton, an amused smile on his face. "Well, I don't think I'm going to have any trouble telling you two apart."